OAKLAND–Kudos to Stephen Curry for winning the NBA’s community assist year-long award and it’s well-deserved.

He was presented with the award today, with many representatives from the charities he supports in attendance, and yes, Curry looked like a future senator up there on stage.

The guy is unflappable and he does good things on and off the court.

Curry also of course was a huge supporter of Mark Jackson, and this was the first time Curry was available to speak to reporters about the Warriors’ firing of Jackson and hiring of Steve Kerr.

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Curry was level-headed as always, and said he knows the Warriors want to win, but he also was unwavering when discussing how much he loved playing for Jackson.

Also, during the official podium time, Curry thanked the Warriors’ “unbelievable organization,” but did not mention co-owners Joe Lacob and Peter Guber or GM Bob Myers in his list of specific thank-yous.

Interpretation: Curry understands what the Warriors did, he has heard their reasoning, he will play hard for Kerr and hopes the team goes to the next level, but he’s not going into this with blinders on about how he feels this all happened.

—STEPHEN CURRY partial gaggle transcript/

-Q: Can you talk about what all this day, award and having your friends and family here mean to you?

-CURRY: This is very humbling for sure. You don’t really dream of winning an award like this. It’s more so about the journey with the platform as it continues to grow, to be able to use it in the right way.

I’ve been blessed with a great team behind me to make ideas that I have come to life and also bring new experiences that hopefully I can have some kind impact on–on some kids’ lives and different groups of people.

It’s humbling. It’s also encouragement to keep doing it. Whether you’re acknowledged for it or not, a lot of lives have been impacted.

-Q: What kind of conversations have you had with Steve Kerr? And how do you feel about having him as your new coach?

-CURRY: We’ve talked three or four times on the phone. Looking forward to getting face-to-face once his gig’s done with TNT. But a lot of it’s kind of just outlook on kind of the locker room as it is now and what his vision is for us next year going into the season.

Not much detail’s been talked about. But I think in the coming weeks we’re going to sit down, I’m sure like he will with most of the other guys on the team, just talk about expectations and what his style of coaching will be.

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And we’ll be able to adjust and hopefully be good to go.

-Q: Is Kerr going to have to win you guys over?

-CURRY: That’s with every new coach. I don’t think it’ll be advertised in the locker room, like ‘How long will it take for him to win over the locker room over?’

Guys are ready to play and be professional about it. And come prepared for training camp.

It’s just like with any new coach, you’ve got to feel it out and see. It’ll probably be a little different and we’ll just kind of adjust.

But at the end of the day, all of the guys in the locker room are trying to win. I know Steve Kerr has that mentality and that mission as well. So those two things are aligned, and we’ll be fine.

-Q: Have you talked with your teammates and do you think they’re all on board with this?

-CURRY: I’ve talked with most of them. I think kind of the feeling was how quick things happened after the season was kind of a shock. And it took some time to kind of respond and react.

Obviously they made a semi-quick hire. I think as the summer goes on, we kind of remove ourselves from last year and look forward to next year, it’ll be fine.

It’s just tough. I mean, there’s no sugarcoating it. It was a weird expedited situation that we didn’t see coming. And guys are human–got to be able to adjust to it and have some time to respond.

That’s kind of what happened. Like I said, I think we’ll be fine once we have a clear picture of what’s going on next year.

-Q: Have you talked with Joe Lacob recently?

-CURRY: Not really. I talked to him, saw him in the office during the exit meetings. But most of the conversations are with Bob (Myers), just getting my opinion on certain things and that kind of deal. That’s about it.

-Q: Personally how are you handling the transition considering how close you were to Mark Jackson?

-CURRY: It’s tough. I mean, that relationship will never stop. He did a lot for me as a player and as a person.

It was emotional for sure, seeing that come to an end. For me, it was who he was as a person, and our relationship and communication, but also just, he was a sign of stability for me.

I had three coaches in three years and he embodies what I know as good around here with the Warriors, winning and that kind of feel. It was a lot different my first years. Not to say… I loved Coach Smart and Coach Nelson… but he embodied winning for me, and it’s tough to see that end.

Obviously will be able to focus on next year and grow under Coach Kerr hopefully even more but it was tough to kind of react to that, especially so soon after Game 7, fighting and fighting and fighting and trying to win.

You just kind of take it a day at a time and at the end of the day you come to training camp, talk with Coach Kerr all summer, figure out how we can make this team better, because that’s going to be the mission.

-Q: Are you worried that things could get worse now that he’s gone?

-CURRY: It’s just a new look and a different chapter, that’s all it is.

-Q: Have you talked with Mark Jackson? How is he doing?

-CURRY: He always had that mentality that whatever was going to go down, he’d be fine, because he loved coaching and loved us as players. But he has bigger things going on–family life, obviously professionally in his career he’s made that jump to going in front of the camera, commentating.

So I know he enjoys that. He talked about that all the time and it’s nice to see him spring right back into it like he never missed a beat.

I know he’ll be fine figuring out what his long-term goals are and what he wants to do.

-Q: You’ve mentioned many times over the last year that you want to be with this team over the long-term and you were counting down the days until you could sign your next extension here. Do you still feel that way about this organization? Do you still want to be here the rest of your career?

-CURRY: One thing I can say about this organization, they want to win. And they’re trying to figure out… each decision I think is geared towards winning. That’s something that flies well with a lot of players, they’re trying to put us in the best position to win.

Obviously I had a certain opinion of Coach Jackson that they made a decision otherwise, and I heard the reasons. I won’t dwell on it, but as long as we’re focused on winning and taking advantage of the roster we have and the opportunity we have with this window to try to continue to get better, just looking forward to next year and making that happen.

I haven’t lost faith in that at all. As much as I supported Coach Jackson and loved everything about it when it came to playing for him, I think they’re about winning.

-Q: What was special about the environment under Mark Jackson?

-CURRY: Stability’s a huge word. And the cohesiveness in that locker room, the family-like atmosphere.

Obviously there was drama going on in a couple instances this past season. But I don’t think that takes away from the entire atmosphere that Coach Jackson built from Day 1.

The way that we played is reminiscent of that and the development that we’ve had in the past three years to becoming a relevant team obviously has a lot to do with ownership and personnel moves. But obviously Coach Jackson had a huge hand in that as well.

They”ll never take that away from him because that was a lot of his vision for what he wanted to do as a coach.

-Q: Klay Thompson’s name is thrown out there and a possible trade chip. How important do you think it would be to keep Klay here?

-CURRY: It’s huge. I love playing with him; he makes me better, I try to make him better.

How much better he’s gotten since Day 1, it’s kind of scary. Such a great two-way player. And hasn’t anywhere close to hit his ceiling.

So definitely want him to continue to be my backcourt mate and keep pushing, keep growing together, and not to waste the nickname.

Jeez- could someone please teach steph curry the meaning of the word “humbling.” This isnt the first time the kid misused it (klay thompson doesnt understand how to use it either). I feel embarrassed for the guy. When you get honored for something, or you do well, get an award- that isnt humbling- it is the opposite. Invest in a dictionary dude-

jsl165

A bit off point — and wrong, too.

Jamesvic

How is it wrong?

Deuce Baggins

The honor makes him realize his humility, thus it is humbling for him. People’s actions in honoring him make him feel as if they are the one’s who deserve the honor, and thus he is humbled. He makes himself lower out of courtesy to recognize the larger efforts. His use of it is just fine…

Jamesvic

Uhhh- no. Nice attempt at making something up. The only reason sports people use it is they are ignorant and hear other ignorant people use it- thereby thinking it is correct. It just sounds silly – take out a dictionary, any dictionary and try to make sense of what you just wrote.

Geo77

The sad part of the whole MJax brouhaha is that it was avoidable, if Jackson could have been realistic about his own strengths and weaknesses. From what the players are saying it’s obvious that he was able to build an unmatched clubhouse chemistry, a rare and very valuable skill. But he couldn’t own up to his weaknesses, particularly in developing a system of play which became glaringly obvious this year on the offensive end. The Ws could have had a dynamite coaching staff if MJax were willing to share the spotlight (much like he was forced to do with Malone). It doesn’t appear to be in his DNA however to share the spotlight. Then the whole us vs.them mentality sealed the deal. When you start to make enemies out of other people in your own organization and even your own coaching staff to bolster the cohesiveness of your players you are on a slippery slope that leads downhill. There was no way the front office was going to sign him to the extension he wanted with those kinds of issues in their face. I hope that with time the players are able to consider fully what Jackson did to put himself in a difficult situation and why that led to a firing that they have a hard time accepting.

Matt

You should be real embarrassed.

AlOha44

Not sure, but your reaction says more about you than Steph.
When you read this about Steph Curry, THAT is what you take from it?

Maybe the guy is trying to express how big, great, and grandiose this honor bestowed upon him, is (because it is for such worthwhile endeavors). By saying that, he is saying that it makes him feel small in relation to how big the honor is. It is a way of telling people how appreciative he is and that he didn’t do what he does, to get awards.

It isn’t meant to take literally, but to express a sentiment.
Shows the attitude and class of this kid. Top notch dude.
You’d be hard pressed to find a better overall human being in the entire NBA.

iFoundSORASkeys

it seemed as if the problem with the coaching staff started from the ownership group. in the beginning the reports were that mjax was paranoid that assistants were out to get him with the support of ownership. when we look back at it he was right.

Jeff T

It started when MJax chose not to find a better assistant coach when Mike Malone left. The FO wanted better support, and MJax decided Pete Myers was good enough. MJax created his own paranoia.

Jeff T

adjective, hum·bler, hum·blest.
1.
not proud or arrogant; modest: to be humble although successful.
2.
having a feeling of insignificance, inferiority, subservience, etc.: In the presence of so many world-famous writers I felt very humble.
3.
low in rank, importance, status, quality, etc.; lowly: of humble origin; a humble home.
4.
courteously respectful: In my humble opinion you are wrong.
5.
low in height, level, etc.; small in size: a humble member of the galaxy.

verb (used with object), hum·bled, hum·bling.
6.
to lower in condition, importance, or dignity; abase.
7.
to destroy the independence, power, or will of.
8.
to make meek: to humble one’s heart.

leftcoast

He does extraordinary work in the community and this is what you focus on? Invest in a course on ethics and social responsibility, then give grammar lessons.

Jamesvic

It is depressing that people are trying to rationalize this. Just google “improper use of the word humbled.” It really isnt that hard to understand how to use the word- or maybe it really is that difficult. I have already spent too much time on it. Here is someone explaining it who is more patient than I.

So James… do you see how #’s 1 & 2 fit? He is trying to show respect through humility, and to recognize those who honored him as actually higher than he is in their community efforts. It was a humbling experience…

NCDub

AO44
Fancy meeting you here (smile!)
Back to basics–amidst all of the trade talk, I’ve been thinking of Bogut & his probable short term remaining tenure as a Dub he’s not a “must-keep” as for instance KT is. Assuming of course that the Dub ring-team still a few years away.
An example of TheLogo’s “necessary-risk” piece perhaps. Maybe he’s there in the eyes of the FO as we speak, as just another asset to bringing the Dubs to perennial status as a contender as were Lacob’s much-admired Celts.

NCDub

iF
Don’t think that was the FO’s perspective three years ago. It might have been more of Lacob ego trip stepping our of the box w/o any real consideration of what might have been the inevitable risks involved.

flaninerfan

I doubt we fans will ever know all that went on between MJ and the front office but one thing we do know is there was a rift, that could not be repaired. To win it all everyone needs to be on the same page, so to get there a new coach had to be put in place.

Geo77

“When we look back at it he was right”. Ever hear of the term self fulfilling prophecy? If you bring enough paranoia to a situation your paranoid fears just might be realized. That doesn’t necessarily mean that there was a conspiracy in the first place.

The problem I have with your scenario is it just doesn’t make sense. Why would ownership be out to get a guy that they just signed to a multi-year deal? Why would they have to resort to some grand conspiracy to “get” MJax with the help of the assistant coaches? They’re ownership – they can fire him – they don’t need to play silly mind games behind his back to make him uncomfortable. What possible logical reason could they have for that when they are trying to build a solid franchise with a winning team? If they thought they made a mistake they could have fired him after his first season. But they stuck with him. This whole front office conspiracy thing makes no logical sense. What does make sense is that ownership started to see the shortcomings in MJax coaching style that became more glaringly obvious with time and reached a peak with the whole assistant coach fiasco at the end of the season. With MJax wanting an extension starting after last year’s run in the playoffs, and the coaching situation looking increasingly dysfunctional, I can certainly see why the ownership group decided they had to pull the plug on the MJax era.

mko0lpmko0lp .

you’re mistaking the use of the word as an adjective versus it’s use as a verb. since he used it as a verb, only 6-8 apply.